anne
Written on Aug 4, 2021
Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets ... and secrets hide in every shadow.
- ISBN10 1335499059
- ISBN13 9781335499059
- Publish Date 31 December 2018 (first published 10 April 2018)
- Publish Status Active
- Imprint Inkyard Press
- Edition First Time Trade ed.
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 464
- Language English
Reviews
Quirky Cat
Written on Sep 14, 2020
The Shadow Game begins in Ace of Shades. Written by Amanda Foody, this is a series that swept fans off their feet. I'm admittedly joining the party late, as the last novel in this trilogy is set to release any date now (as I write this).
The City of Sin is an aptly named location. It's full of casinos, corrupted politicians, seedy businesses, and plenty of entertainment. It's no place for a debutante like Enne Salta. Yet this is the exact city she has found herself in.
Why? Her mother has gone missing, and she's on a quest to find her. The only clue she has is a name: Levi Glaisyer. That scrap of information, and a bucketful of hope, is all Enne has to go on.
For his part, Levi had no idea who Enne was before she walked in his door. All he wanted was to bring the Irons, his gang, to a new level of riches and fame. To prove himself to the world – and to himself.
“People do not play this game to win, my dear. They play this game not to lose.”
Warnings: There are some strong themes in this series, from control (magical abilities that grant varying degrees of control), to drug addiction, as well as pedophilia (which is rightly shown in a negative light here).
Ace of Shades is a novel I've been hearing a lot of talk about. As such, my hopes and expectations were raised fairly high. I was worried that I had raised them too high, but Ace of Shades proved to be a pleasant and delightful surprise.
Let's start with the world that Amanda Foody has created here. It's intense and brilliant, and I love it. I love the magical systems, the inheritance of magic, and just how complicated it all is. I love every single detail, and honestly I wouldn't complain about learning a little bit more.
As for the City of Sin, that is likewise fascinating, but for a different reason. It's the perfect place to showcase a variety of characters and abilities. All while putting Enne well outside of her comfort zone. Intentionally, of course.
Enne's character is complex and comes with many surprises. She is nothing like what she appears, and every time it seems I've got a grasp of her personality, she goes and surprises me all over again.
Then there's Levi. He's everything that Enne is not, and I don't mean that in a bad way. They're two sides of the same coin, yet are about as different as that coin would ever allow. It took longer for me to appreciate his character, though I don't think that's a bad thing.
That being said, I did instantly take to some of the secondary characters. In a way, I feel like the series shines through those characters. I'm not sure if that was intended to not, but I appreciated it regardless.
“All you know are stories, Enne told herself. And not all stories are true.”
Ace of Shades came with a thrilling ending, and it made me so grateful (for once) that I'm behind on a series. After all, now I'm able to dive right into King of Fools, no waiting necessary. Perfect.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
liz089
Written on Dec 9, 2019
I liked it, liked the concept with the powers, and the world, the Mizers etc.. but it did not really take hold of me. I had trouble connecting to the characters and found the concept more interesting then the execution of it.. It took me longer then I wanted to finish. Hope the second novel will be better.
tweetybugshouse
Written on Jun 7, 2019
Mackenzie
Written on Jul 9, 2018
I honestly can't 100% pinpoint what made me feel this way. In some ways I liked the characters, and in others I felt totally indifferent. It was a complex world that was explained, but also not explained at all. Also, the description makes it sound as if this book is all about the Shadow Game, but really it's not. That plays a small role. A lot of buildup was done for it, but even that fell flat - and in a way, too easy. I just....I honestly don't know. I think I'm interested enough to read the sequel, moreso because I'm more interested in the world's backstory than the plot/characters itself, but not sure I'm gonna be chomping at the bit to get it either.
kalventure
Written on Jun 24, 2018
"They say the city is a game, one only the reckless play."Friends, this book murdered me; I am a ghost typing up this review. This book has to be one of my biggest surprises of 2018 so far - it touched me deeply from the first sentences and kept me hooked until the end (and beyond, I am already stalking the 2019 sequel King of Fools).
Welcome to New Reynes, the City of Sin where gangs rule the streets and Casino Families rule everything else. Enne Salta's adoptive mother has failed to return home from a trip to New Reynes, but managed to send a letter home with a name -- Levi Glaisyer -- so she heads to the City for her summer break to find Lourdes. This city isn't for the faint of heart, and Enne has to learn to navigate a place of games and secrets -- but will she be able to survive?
"If I'm not home in two months, I'm dead."This book has a strong start that sucked me in right away and kept me entranced until the last page with excellent pacing and characters with such depth that I felt like I knew them personally. Foody masterfully shares details of the world slowly and succinctly so that it never feels like an info dump and the world itself is described so well that I feel like I could walk the streets myself.
The book is told in the alternating perspectives of Enne Salta and Levi Glaisyer, characters that are as different as night and day but thrust together due because Lourdes wrote his name on a letter.
--> Enne has been thrust into a world and situation that she wasn't meant for in the search to find her mother. 17 years old, dancer from finishing school looking forward to her debut in society. She has a serious sweet tooth and I love her grit and determination to find her mother as a stranger in a strange land.
--> Levi has been hardened by his years, a master of cards and the head of the Irons. He is almost 18 and has aspirations to make something of himself. Levi is black and bisexual and I adore his compassion.
There is also a cast of secondary characters just as rich, loveable, and flawed. Jac is Levi's best friend and absolutely a gem, and Lola is the reluctant addition to the trio. I really look forward to seeing more of their backstory in [b:King of Fools|37545571|King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2)|Amanda Foody|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1530205230s/37545571.jpg|59149219].
"All you know is stories, Enne told herself. And not all stories are true."The magic system in this world is hereditary, and each person has a main talent and a split talent. The main talent is denoted by a person's surname and is an easy way to assess a person's position in society.
Foody created a new fantasy world with a rich and deep history/mythology, and I will admit that at times it was a bit difficult to keep everything straight even though the worldbuilding is done slowly and builds upon nuggets of knowledge introduced earlier.
cw: inferred pedophilia, drug use, gambling, loss of a loved one
I absolutely loved Ace of Shades - it is full of a characteristic that I lived for in fantasy: a vivid world, a complex political history, complex characters. It is a fast-paced story that has everything I love in fantasy executed well... just be sure to take notes so that you can keep everything straight as the worldbuilding is vast! This is a fantastic start to what I am sure will be an amazing trilogy, and I cannot wait to continue the series!
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Kelly
Written on Apr 16, 2018
New Reynes is notorious for the corruption of the innocent, a decrepit, polluted metropolis thriving on underworld corruption. Lourdes Alfero arrived in New Reynes on whispered secrets and a sheltered existence for adoptive daughter Erienne, attending a prestigious finishing school for young women. Sixteen year old Enne is a virtuous, aristocratic young woman pursuing her mother through the ostentatious streets of New Reynes, intoxicated by immorality, prohibition and inappropriate for modest young ladies of virtue.
Levi Glaisyer is the Iron Lord of New Reynes. Throughout the narrative, Enne and Levi develop a subtle companionship and attraction. A machiavellian luminary and an endearing young man, Levi is a disarmingly charismatic, professional charlatan and the surviving affiliation Enne has to her adoptive mother.
Each resident is recognised by their bisected capabilities, their abilities manifest through their individual heritage, from entertainers to illusionists to alchemists. Electrical currents are used as monetary value, extricated from the vitality of unsuspecting patrons of New Reynes. The corruption and anarchy of a metropolis is founded upon the illegal gambling industry. Within the kingdom, the monarchy and sympathisers were eradicated during the revolution, corruption infiltrating as the Augustine and Torren families reigned the Scarhands, Doves and the Iron syndicates. Beneath the atmospheric metropolis, an amalgamation of anonymous journalists whisper the atrocities of the anarchic new world, including the notorious Séance, a monarchist sympathiser.
Characters are eclectic and diversified. A bisexual protagonist of colour, gender fluidity and socioeconomic representation, a gentle reminder of the importance of inclusion within young adult narratives. Unfortunately an instance of implied paedophilia is present. Unbeknown to Enne, she is coerced into a abhorrent and vulnerable position with a paedophile, believing she is immensely younger than she appears. Although condemned during the narration, it's confronting, uncomfortable and unnecessary.
New Reynes is atmospheric and distinctly imagined, a city of debauchery and immorality. Wonderfully portrayed, vibrantly diversified and captivating until the final page.
Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
Written on Feb 16, 2018
Ace of Shades sets up a world where nobody is what they seem. Everyone wears a magic, everyone has a talent they hide, and everyone has sworn an oath. Whether it is to a street lord or one of the powerful casino families, oaths mean blood is spilled, loyalties are split, and nobody can be trusted. It makes the city fascinating, because you never really know who is a friend and who is going to pull a knife on you.
Amanda Foody's second book does not disappoint. She remains a world building master. New Reynes sparkles. Her magical systems are as fascinating as in Daughter of the Burning City, but in Ace of Shades we've only touched the surface of the amazing things the characters can do. Every street, every building has a personality and life of its own.
While New Reynes breathes, it is really Enne and Levi's growth that spurs the story forward. Erienne Abacus Salta enters the city cringing from the muck and corruptions, but as she seeks out her mother and becomes involved in the city, she slowly becomes a part of it. There were moments with Enne that completely took me by surprise. I expected a sweet, mild girl but Enne was anything but. This girl is fierce. Levi is a great match for her - he is both comfortable in his skin and cautious of the tricks of the city. There was a lot going on in Levi's storyline - from Enne to Vianca to Chaz. I really look forward to seeing more of Levi in this series, because I think his character has a lot of untapped potential.
Lola, Jac, and Raymond all deserve mentioning as excellent side characters.
My favorite part of this story was the Shadow Game itself. Amanda Foody is amazing at building a tense situation. It was completely not what I was expecting, but it was excellent. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of this Game and the house in the future (I mean, the series is called "The Shadow Game") and I cannot wait.
Stephanie
Written on Dec 17, 2017
Vague review is vague, sorry y'all.